The document discusses how consumers navigate the path to purchase for various products and services in today's digital landscape. It finds that the traditional purchase funnel model is outdated, as consumers conduct research across multiple devices and touchpoints in a non-linear fashion. For hotel bookers specifically, the summary is: 1) The average hotel booker visits 12 travel sites before booking online, with over half of visits occurring in the week and 48 hours before purchase. 2) Most hotel bookers conduct initial research 30 days before booking and visit multiple travel sites during this period, including online travel agencies and supplier sites. 3) While paths vary, flight research and airline site visits are common touchpoints for hotel bookers across different shopping

1. Navigatingthe New Path to Purchase

2. on the go
to day
Today, the consumer path to purchase is as complex
as ever. Shifting consumer attitudes and multiple
connected devices create a chaotic reality. The
traditional purchase funnel diagram, one which any
marketer could sketch from memory, is officially
dead. The singular, orderly sequence of purchase
stages has been scrambled, and marketers need to
conform. In today’s world, where consumers have
access to constant information through computers,
smart phones and tablets, each person’s path to
purchase is complex and unique.

3. navigating the new path to purchase 2
Fragmented audiences, distracted consumers and multiple devices fuel different
paths. The explosion of digital channels, the always-on media ecosystem, and
the emergence of increasingly discerning consumers challenge even the
savviest of digital marketers. Marketers are designing a path to purchase
strategy based on an outdated model, and there is no objective way to
benchmark or measure success in a rapidly evolving digital marketplace.
For consumers, there are unlimited opportunities to get distracted throughout
the shopping process. Consumers can get to the brink of a purchase and then
regress back to researching and browsing—because it’s easy to do. Whether
on their desktop, tablet or smartphone, shoppers are just one click away from
embarking on a ride far away from their original intent. The good news: A single
touchpoint can get them back.
For marketers, it’s a challenge to identify and map the ideal shopping behavior
for their brand. Each individual path is different—the actual activities vary widely
between consumers, across multiple platforms. However, the combinations are
not infinite. It’s not just what consumers do that is important; it is also how, when
and why they do it. The timing, location, and intensity of consumer behavior
indicate levels of involvement within the path to purchase and opportunities for
marketers to engage. Digital marketers need to take a hard look into this data trail
that consumers leave behind. Analysis of this behavior can provide actionable
insight into how consumers arrive at their purchase decision.
Consumers can get to the brink
of a purchase and then regress
back to researching and browsing
—because it’s easy to do.

4. 3 navigating the new path to purchase
As consumers use more digital platforms and channels for research and buying,
there is a need to invest, strategically and financially, in tools and platforms that
measure beyond traditional web analytics. We need to understand engagement
activity (e.g. search, review and cross-shopping, mobile/tablet engagement)
before, during, and after the customer conversion.
The path to purchase model is shifting. Consumers are distracted, but smarter.
Marketers can be smarter too. This whitepaper gives marketers context and
insight into the evolving path to purchase across several verticals as well as
advice on building a strategy to better shape their marketing efforts.
There is a need to invest, strategically
and financially, in tools and platforms
that measure beyond traditional
web analytics.

5. navigating the new path to purchase 4
tableofcontents
5 Technology Entertainment:
Flat Panel TV Shoppers
9 Automotive:
Consumer Shopping Paths
13 Travel:
Hotel Bookers
17 Retail:
Athletic Footwear Shoppers
21 Financial Services:
Consumer Savings Products

6. How do FPTV consumers shop?
• When purchasing a new FPTV, the desire
to upgrade is the strongest motivator.
• Shopping for a FPTV typically takes 11 weeks,
one of the longest processes analyzed.
• Consumers primarily conduct their TV
research online, but still visit a physical
retail location to purchase.
The FPTV consumers’ path to purchase process
is lengthy, typically occurring over 11 weeks. The
first shopping phase occurs in the first four weeks
while consumers are researching brands and
determining their price range. Phase two is in the
middle four weeks, when they move further down
the path and determine which brands and models
are the best fit. In the final three weeks, shoppers
are compiling their research and have narrowed
down brands, models and the best deals.
Flat Panel TV Shoppers
When shopping for a new Flat Panel TV (FPTV), consumers are looking to upgrade
their device, improve their home viewing situation, purchase an FPTV for a new room
or home or simply replace a broken television. This data is important—the “why”
consumers are shopping for FPTVs helps us determine “what” consumers are doing
along their path to purchase.
technology
entertainment
navigating the new path to purchase: T + E 5

7. 10%
HD
What are the FPTV shopper
purchase motives?
of shoppers want an
HD compatible FPTV
65%
HD Capabilities Larger Screen Around
$1,500
Around
$750
Internet
Connected
Source: Compete Path to Purchase Research
HD
60%65% 55% 50%
Our path to purchase research has demonstrated
that most FPTV shoppers have a tendency to
research online and to purchase offline, making
both digital and physical channels important
pillars of any marketing strategy. The brick-and-
mortar retail location is still the most popular
place to actually make a purchase, but only one
third of shoppers will use only a physical retail
location for research. Even during traditionally
busy seasons—holidays when online traffic
increases by up to three times—online purchase
rates stay the same, underscoring the role of
retail stores in the purchase.
6

8. How can marketers reach FPTV shoppers?
• Maximize search performance since FPTV
shopping starts online.
• Enhance web design and improve user
experience because manufacturers’ websites
are one of the last online touchpoints before
a consumer visits a retail location.
• Streamline the physical retail shopping
experience. Interaction with sales
representatives and product displays are
the two most influential touchpoints when
shopping in brick-and-mortar stores.
Search engine optimization (SEO) should drive
consumers to the brand website as early in the
process as possible—this is the first opportunity
brands have to engage their audience. Online
search will drive top-of-funnel activity, improve
brand credibility, and increase the overall
sales pipeline.
Manufacturer websites are a key consumer
touchpoint in the path to purchase. If consumers
prematurely leave the brand site, there is a lost
opportunity to direct them to a physical location
to buy electronics. Knowing this, brand marketers
need to make improvements in the website
experience to increase the number of leads
walking into a retail location with purchase intent.
Although our research shows that most consumers are buying in physical retail
locations, it’s still critical to allocate resources toward digital efforts, as online
experiences help build brand preference and drive shoppers to the store.
navigating the new path to purchase: T + E 7

9. Brick Mortar
Retailer Sites
Online Reviews Online-only
Retailers
Manufacturer
Sites
Search Engines
Digital Shopping Sources
What types of sources do consumers
prefer prior to making a FPTV purchase?
of consumers prefer to visit a store
to view product vs. online
72%
Source: Compete Path to Purchase Research
In-store
Display/Demos
Friends/Family Salesperson Print MediaBrochures/
Circulars
BUY DIRECT
reviews
53% 32% 30% 27%34%
72% 31% 31% 14%36%Physical Shopping Sources
Once qualified foot traffic is sent to retail
locations, the work is not over for marketers.
Offline budget needs to be dedicated to ensure
that the in-store experience and materials have
the same quality treatment and information as all
the other brand materials consumers are exposed
to during the shopping process. At the in-store
level, investments should be made to train sales
personnel on product features and other ways
to improve the customer experience during the
middle-to-late stages of the shopping process. For
lesser-known brands, there is an opportunity here
to convert FPTV shoppers. While major brands like
Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, and LG have traction
in the beginning of the shopping process due to
better unaided awareness, smaller brands can
gain popularity toward the end as consumers
understand product specifications better.
8

10. automotive
How do auto consumers shop?
• 85 to 90 percent of auto shoppers conduct
online research. The typical car shopper begins
the process on a search engine or review site
and ends at the brand’s domain, before heading
to a dealership.
• The online research process lasts, on average,
four months, with an uptick in activity in the
last month. More activity at the end suggests
the traditional purchase funnel is upside-down.
• Auto shoppers’ behavior is very diverse, but
can be grouped into three distinct online
shopper paths, culminating in an “expression
of interest” for one or more models.
In studying the automotive industry in the UK,
purchasing a new automobile is a very big decision,
and for some consumers, the most costly purchase
they will make. There are a myriad of digital
touchpoints, from manufacturers’ sites, to third-party
sites, to review sites, to enthusiast sites, and even
general information sites that have auto sections.
Even though we know that every consumer’s path
is unique, we are able to identify three distinct
paths based on some common characteristics:
High Category Involvement: These consumer
paths are characterized by a heavy use of auto
review sites, search, and competitive brand sites,
before reaching the “expression of interest” phase.
Brand Pre-disposition: This path category
typically begins with visits to auto review sites
and search engines, but quickly progresses to
expression of interest.
High Social Network Involvement: Consumers
on this path category rely more on manufacturers’
social media brand pages.
The first path typically begins with visits to auto
review sites or with queries on search engines,
which ultimately lands consumers/shoppers on
automotive brand sites. The process repeats
several times during the journey, with increasing
visitation to the brand site in the last month
before purchase.
consumer shopping paths
The automotive consumer journey is one of the most complex of all industries.
Although consumers buy vehicles at dealerships, most of the decision-making
process and influential touchpoints are online.
navigating the new path to purchase: automotive 9

11. FIRST Behavior in Auto Consumer Path
LAST Behavior in Auto Consumer Path
6% 8%
of auto consumers’ FIRST behavior
is to check Auto Review Sites
56%
of auto consumers’ LAST behavior
is to check Manufacturer’s Sites*
86%
What are the consumer behaviors
when looking for an automobile?*
reviews
Auto Review Site Online Search Manufacturer Site
Last BehaviorFirst BehaviorSource: Compete Path to Purchase Research
*Based on data from a UK study
86%13%56% 30%
reviews
The second path is primarily composed of
consumers predisposed to a specific brand—they
start with search and reviews, but quickly narrow
down to specific manufacturer pages. This path
is distinctly different than the third path, which is
characterized by a stronger reliance on visits to
social media brand pages; paths one and two have
a much lower use of automotive social media.
While each is distinct, there are some common
patterns across each path. For example, more
than half of the shoppers start the process on a
search engine. Two thirds of auto consumers that
demonstrate intent to purchase begin searching four
months prior to purchase, with a noticeable uptick in
action in the final month. By the end of the process,
86 percent of those showing signs of purchase
engage with a manufacturer’s site, while only 13
percent start there; the 86 percent is good news for
automakers and the 13 percent means there are a lot
of potential disruptions along the path to purchase.
Given the heritage of many automotive brands,
brand association is often a powerful influence, and
that association can be expressed in multiple and,
sometimes, unexpected ways. One brand’s effort to
drive consumers exclusively to its YouTube channel
resulted in the brand’s homepage getting a wealth
of purchase-intending traffic. Social networking,
music, and video sites are highly visited categories
for multiple auto segments, but a key question is
whether they create brand-new relationships or
reinforce existing ones.
10

12. How can marketers reach auto consumers?
• Understand where and how consumers
research vehicles—yours and rivals’—with a
focus on the most likely inflection points (e.g.
places you are most likely to lock down or lose
customers, and places where you have the best
opportunity to conquest rivals’ shoppers).
• Optimize keyword investments to ensure you’re
investing in the terms and techniques most
likely to drive consumers your way. Search is
a strong driver of purchase intent and can aid
brand credibility.
• Quantify how and when consumers use auto
review sites, then determine whether deeper
partnership relationships with those entities
will help drive traffic. The majority of brand site
traffic comes from review sites.
Find the right balance of keyword activity
(including competitive keywords), have a
structured presence on social media channels
(proven to generate consumer interest and
increase automotive research activity) and
monitor review sites (shown to engage the
audience and maintain traffic flow to conversion).
It’s imperative that automotive brand websites
are optimized to encourage quick action in driving
a buy, or, at least, starting a dialog between
dealers and consumers. Ensure your brand site is
optimized for a consumer experience based on the
research process up until that point. Find the right
balance between site flash and allure vs. ease of
use. Make sure that consumers who are coming
into the brand site (via search or review sites) land
on the appropriate page. Your website is often the
last chance to interact with consumers, and you
need to keep them from defecting to ensure that
they head to your dealers.
Shoppers kick off the auto research process in several ways: search, social media,
and independent reviews. Knowing where and when consumers use them is crucial
because those touchpoints influence which brands consumers investigate further.
navigating the new path to purchase: automotive 11

13. 4Months
Prior
3Months
Prior
2Months
Prior
1Month
Prior
What is the consumer touchpoint engagement
prior to auto purchase action?*
53%
50%
55%
49%
31%
Search
33%
70%
29%
25%
Manufacturer Site
SearchManufacturer Site
SearchManufacturer Site
26%
33%
100%
of consumers prefer to visit manufacturer
sites 1 month prior to purchase*
100%
Auto Review Site
reviews
Auto Review Site
reviews
Auto Review Site
reviews
SearchManufacturer Site Auto Review Site
reviews
Source: Compete Path to Purchase Research
*Based on data from a UK study
Consumers buy new vehicles at dealerships, but
the research process is predominantly online, with
85-90 percent of auto consumers conducting
online research. Automotive buyers don’t
purchase on brand homepages, but those sites are
among the last digital opportunities to influence
consumers and encourage them to take the next
step and visit a dealer. Engineer your consumers’
paths so what they learn along the way is
consistent with what they find in the dealership.
12

14. travel
How do hotel bookers shop?
• An average hotel booker visits 12 travel sites
before booking online.
• The order, time, and intensity in which
consumers visit travel sites vary greatly.
• There are shared shopping characteristics
between different categories of bookers (e.g.
when initial research starts), but the nuances
within those groups are different.
Our study of traveler behavior found the path to
purchase to be comprised of various “stand alone”
steps. This reflects that travel often requires
distinct elements, such as booking a flight, then
selecting a hotel near the chosen airport, then
renting a car near the airport and/or hotel.
Marketers need to recognize that these distinct
points of influence are all intertwined,
and streamlining this process will drive travel
bookings and set the stage for partnerships
and conquesting.
We found that the frequency and duration of
research changes based on where consumers
are in the shopping process, dictating that the
marketing approach be nonlinear. Hotel bookers
visit a quarter of their pre-purchase travel sites
on the same day they book. OTAs (online travel
agencies) are the most visited category among
hotel bookers, and the average hotel shopper
makes 12 visits to OTAs in the same month as
booking. More than half of these visits occur
during the week of booking and even more occur
within the last 48 hours of booking.
hotel bookers
The online travel marketplace is large and dynamic because consumers
spend more money online for travel than any other industry.
navigating the new path to purchase: travel 13

15. What is the distribution of travel site
visits 30 days before booking?
of consumers prefer to visit multiple
travel sites 30 days prior to booking
54%
1MonthOut
2MonthsOut
3MonthsOut
4MonthsOut
Source: Compete Path to Purchase Research
12% 19% 54%12%
Flight research paired with airline site visits is
one of the few common behavior traits across
hotel bookers’ paths. While the instances of flight
research adds some structure to understanding
the path, the diverse nature of travel sites adds to
the complexity. For example, consumers can book
hotels on supplier sites (sites operated by the
brands themselves). They can also book hotels on
OTAs, and once they’re on an OTA, they might also
buy a flight and rental car. At the same time, hotel
sites often allow consumers to book flights, and
airline sites often allow consumers to book hotels.
14

16. How can marketers reach hotel shoppers
and bookers?
• Prioritize revenue by reinforcing behavior
among consumers already leaning your way,
by minimizing conquesting of your consumers
by rivals, and by identifying your most valuable
lost bookers.
• Determine how site tools influence booking
choices and how they can be used to measure
pre-booking audience quality.
• Compare the return on investment (ROI) of
using a full path approach vs. a singular point
approach to target specific audiences.
Path to purchase knowledge incorporates how
consumers get to your site and how many of them
visit your site but book somewhere else. The latter
is called “lost bookings” and is a key element in
understanding how to use consumer behavior to
unlock low hanging revenue. For example, a hotel
can assign a value to adding OTA-style search
capability to its site, based on the likelihood of
increased conversion by reducing lost bookings.
Understanding which tools correlate with travel
booking decisions on your site and rival sites
can help inform site redesign strategies, such
as adjusting site landing pages based on the
combination of traffic source and tool use. For
example, knowing if consumers are more influenced
by search than OTAs could inform landing page
tactics from paid search results and advertisements.
If the biggest break in the path for a given hotel is
the moment after choosing a flight, that hotelier
could consider a partnership with an airline with
which its lost bookers are already engaged.
Understanding the optimal places to influence behavior and drive revenue
(e.g. search, flight, OTA/hotel, supplier, etc.) enables brands to attract
qualified consumers.
navigating the new path to purchase: travel 15

17. What are the top 15 most visited sites
among hotel bookers?
Expedia.com is the most visited site for
hotel bookers within 30 days of booking
#1
Source: Compete Path to Purchase Research
Companies have the option for a broader effort
designed to influence many elements of travel
shopping or a more focused approach with rich
attention on just one element. Both can influence
revenue through the new, evolved path, but need
to be cost-effective; the right choice depends on
where the biggest loss of consumers is today.
16

18. retail
How do athletic footwear consumers shop?
• Athletic footwear shoppers consult online
resources for product and seller information.
One in three prefers purchasing online rather
than in a traditional store.
• Along the path to purchase, shoppers use
brand websites for research, but these sites are
typically not a purchase destination.
• Shoppers choose quickly and don’t spend much
time researching. The purchase window for
athletic footwear is narrow.
Starting with the online experience, we have found
that consumers primarily discover new products
through site channels (e.g. retailers or online pure
plays), consumer reviews, and fitness research
websites. The path to purchase is notably short as
online athletic shoe shoppers are likely to know
exactly what brands and/or products they are
interested in from the start.
On average, purchasers spend six minutes shopping
for athletic footwear, significantly less time
compared to other categories. They spend little
actual time “researching,” opting instead to search
for the best deal.
Not surprisingly, a lot of sales are shifting online;
in fact, nearly one in three consumers favor
purchasing athletic footwear online versus
in-store. However, the offline experience is also
still relevant: nine in 10 consumers who opt
to purchase in-store do so primarily to try the
footwear on and secondarily, to get the shoe
immediately and avoid shipping costs. Of those
who do buy online, 20 percent of these consumers
try the footwear on in a store before going online
to make the purchase, highlighting the role of the
offline channel even in an online transaction.
athletic footwear shoppers
There are several key elements that influence the athletic footwear path to purchase:
online retailers, brand properties, consumer reviews, the physical store experience,
and online search.
navigating the new path to purchase: retail 17

19. What types of research do consumers perform
prior to making an athletic footwear purchase?
of consumers prefer to visit a store
to view or try on athletic footwear
Online PurchasersIn-store PurchasersSource: Compete Path to Purchase Research
71%
Visited a Store Looked Online Performed
no Research
Read
Reviews
Asked Friends
and Family
Saw
Advertisements
71% 20% 59% 55% 4% 24%21% 14% 13% 8%20% 15%
reviews
Finally, search is a significant driver of athletic
footwear sales and improves brand consideration.
Each month, athletic footwear sites receive 16.5
million search referrals, of which online pure
plays and department stores capture the largest
shares. Manufacturers garner the smallest share
of athletic footwear searches, yet have the highest
share of paid search. Under Armour, Converse, and
Nike, the top three brands driving traffic through
branded keywords, generate a substantial portion
of those clickthroughs with paid search.
18

20. How can marketers reach retail consumers?
• Engage and convert. With a short shopping
process, all touchpoints need to quickly
encourage a transaction.
• Overcome the consumer obstacles to
purchasing online. If you can’t offer free
shipping, for example, consider offering
additional value like a quality guarantee.
• Build experiences on brand and retail sites that
link initial research to shopping transactions.
The brand website experience can be attention-
grabbing, but many consumers travel elsewhere
to complete their purchase, influenced by price
and convenience. The opportunity lies in how
manufacturers and retailers can partner to best
influence these in-market consumers.
For brands, one way to alleviate consumer
hesitancy when shopping directly on a
manufacturer site is to promote free shipping and
a no-risk, no-hassle return policy. If manufacturers
are unable to offer free shipping or flexible
returns, there are additional ways to add value
and enhance the experience of purchasing on the
brand site. The ability to speak with a specialist,
lifetime quality guarantees and interactive
product viewing abilities can retain consumers
and increase purchases made through brand
ecommerce efforts.
Our recommendations for the retail industry revolve around understanding and
adapting to the realities of the new path to purchase rather than trying to change it.
Looking across the online ecosystem, shoppers who visit a manufacturer’s website
are a temporarily captive audience, but eventually move on.
navigating the new path to purchase: retail 19

21. In-store Purchasers
Online Purchasers
Better Prices
60%
60%
Better Prices
16%
37%
More
Information
Online
Cost of Shipping
is too High
33%
Product Shipped
Directly to Me
60%
Easier to Shop
on the Computer
59%
Easier to
Compare Prices
54%
Better Selection
Receive Items
Immediately
32%
Free Shipping
53%
Faster
Shopping
Experience
45%
Try the Product
in Person
88%
Sales
Person
12%
Why do you prefer to purchase
athletic footwear in-store or online?
of consumers prefer to visit a store
to view or try on athletic footwear
88%
Source: Compete Path to Purchase Research
The best strategy for brands and retailers could be
embracing their roles in overcoming the obstacles
to conversion. Properties should build online
experiences that link online search to brand site
visits to retail transactions. Depending on the
manufacturer, some sites are primarily a research
tool that drive traffic to retailers while others
focus largely on ecommerce. Both manufacturers
and retailers benefit when they enhance their
greatest areas of influence and rely on partners
to bolster the touchpoints that bring consumers
to purchase.
20

22. How do consumers shop for financial services?
• Online banking consumers move quickly from
research to selection, in most cases conducting
research online and converting offline.
• Within the financial services category, digital
impacts not only the consumer’s path to
purchase, but also their post-purchase
service experience.
• Mobile features have a strong positive
influence on consumer preference of
financial institutions.
Consumer must-haves revolve around the need
to see product information quickly, explaining
why they go online. To illustrate the speed of this
selection, we found that 80 percent of customers
have decided on a brand after their first research
step, even before visiting a brand website.
In contrast to other verticals, financial services
marketing success depends on effectively
servicing long term clients as much as acquiring
them. The good news for financial brands is
that there is a significant digital opportunity
to engage shoppers across their full consumer
journey; customers demonstrate a need for
service post-purchase and prefer to do that
online. Once a consumer establishes a brand
preference, 64 percent of consumers complete
an application, and there is a 30 percent increase
in consumers engaging with the brand online for
customer service. Through all phases of the path
to purchase, even post-conversion, consumers
consult search engines, bank-owned websites, and
financial product comparison/review websites.
consumer savings products
Within the financial category, the process of product selection to account opening is a
short one, for which consumers primarily research online, but convert offline. During
the initial research phase, online resources, such as review websites, have a larger
consumer impact compared to traditional media; 48 percent of consumers only use
online resources, and 21 percent rely on offline tools.
financialservices
navigating the new path to purchase: financial services 21

23. What are the most popular resources for
financial services research?
Search Engines
Bank Website
Friends and Family
Physical Bank Branch
Source: Compete Path to Purchase Research
choice of consumers: most prefer an online search
to learn about financial services
1st
1stchoice
2ndchoice
3rdchoice
4thchoice
Our research also shows that there is a large
mobile opportunity: financial brand favorability
rises when companies have a mobile app that
enables account holders to manage their money
and account on-the-go.
Across the consideration, selection, and
recommendation phases of shopping, consumers
were more likely to recommend institutions that
offered a mobile app. Within the financial category,
29 percent of consumers were more likely to
consider institutions with a mobile presence, 28
percent chose a brand with a mobile presence,
and 27 percent recommended a brand with mobile
presence. For brokerage firms, 27 percent were
more likely to consider, 24 percent chose, and
18 percent recommended. For auto insurance
companies, 23 percent were more likely to consider,
21 percent chose, and 20 percent recommended.
In short, mobile yields a higher impact on
consideration and retention rate. Additionally,
a mobile presence is good news for advertising
efforts as mobile shoppers are most positively
impacted by ads on finance-related apps.
22

24. How can marketers reach financial services
customers?
• Ensure product selection and information is
clear and concise on bank-owned websites.
• Invest in third party sites to complement
brand sites.
• Connect the online and offline user experience
as consumers move quickly from online
research to offline conversion.
As review and comparison sites are key online
research tools, they merit a place on a bank’s
homepage. We recommend incorporating third-
party financial reviews on bank websites to
further contribute to shopping quality and ease.
Esurance is making transparency a priority in their
consumer experience, an example that can lead
to valuable and usable review content. Schwab
and Bank of America have also taken an approach
similar to Apple, which allows customers to make
an appointment online before physically visiting
a branch location—another improvement to
consumer experience and, consequently, reviews.
Financial services is a unique category in that the consumer journey toggles between
online and offline, with each phase having distinct roles in attracting and servicing
shoppers. Consumers need options, but for brand marketers, this should not be
confused with too much available information—financial services selections have to
be clear for better prospect retention. Knowing this, making product information
quickly and clearly available on every channel is paramount.
navigating the new path to purchase: financial services 23

25. The connection between online and offline is
particularly clear for opening new accounts. In
fact, for every one account opened online, we
have found that eight accounts are opened at a
physical location. Knowing this about the financial
path to purchase, brands need to ensure that
the transition between research and conversion
is seamless. The messaging and theme of online
collateral need to match the consumer experience
when an informed prospect walks through a
bank’s door.
24

26. the path
so...
Consumers are changing the way they research
and purchase online, and new shopping paths are
emerging depending on behavior, device, location,
and intent.
Marketers have much to gain from re-evaluating
existing strategies and identifying ways to improve
their brand’s bottom line. The key to successfully
decoding this new consumer behavior is pairing
an uncomplicated mindset with complex reporting
abilities. In adapting to this new path to purchase
reality, the best thing marketers can do is make
sure their strategy does not depend on a linear
sequence of events. When each independent step
along the path is improved, the end result will be
more purchases, regardless of how consumers got
there. We believe the fundamental solution lies in
accepting, then successfully navigating, this new
path to purchase.

27. navigating the new path to purchase 26
The right tools lead to actionable
insights and informed digital
marketing decisions that drive
brand, market share, and ROI.
Digital Touchpoints,™ is Millward Brown Digital’s new solution that provides
insights on actual consumer interactions, enabling our clients to make the
most effective marketing decisions. A better understanding of the sequence of
shopping events equips companies to deliver the correct marketing message at
the right place and at the right time during the shopping process.
To do this, we measure the ways consumers interact with shopping touchpoints
in three ways:
• The Engagement Index™ represents the extent of actual shopper
engagement with touchpoints. This takes into account the percent of total
shoppers interacting with the specific touchpoint, and the intensity of those
interactions, including time and number of repeat visits.
• The Influence Index™ represents the probability of one touchpoint
interaction influencing a shopper’s final action.
• The Opportunity Index™ shows the competitive view of touchpoint
interactions (e.g. which brands are getting better or worse traction with
consumers at each given touchpoint).
The goal of this report is to enable marketers to make strategic shifts in how
they approach the new fluid path to purchase, to quantify and qualify consumer
behavior, and to take action. The right tools lead to actionable insights and
informed digital marketing decisions that drive brand, market share, and ROI.

28. 27 navigating the new path to purchase
About Millward Brown Digital
Dynamic Logic and Compete are now combined as Millward Brown Digital, to
deliver comprehensive digital solutions that help advertisers, agencies and
publishers increase marketing effectiveness and drive brand growth. The unit
combines Compete’s consumer, channel and market intelligence solutions —
supported by the largest behavioral panel in the industry — with Dynamic Logic’s
market-leading advertising and campaign effectiveness offering. Insights from
the division helps marketers increase media efficiency and optimize campaign
effectiveness; expand sales and market share for their brands across all
channels and enhance total brand performance.
For more information, please contact sales@compete.com
or visit www.compete.com.
For more information, please
contact sales@compete.com.